Category Archives: 5 Flames

HALFWAY TO THE GRAVE
A Night Huntress Novel #1
Author: Jeaniene Frost
Source: Personal Purchase

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Avon (October 30, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0061245089
ISBN-13: 978-0061245084

SUMMARY:

Flirting with the grave…
 
Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father–the one responsible for ruining her mother’s life. Then she’s captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unholy partnership.

In exchange for finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She’s amazed she doesn’t end up as his dinner–are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn’t have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her new found status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side . . . and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.

MY THOUGHTS:

What was I thinking in taking so long to start this series?  Was I out of my mind?  Scoot over all previous fictional boyfriends, because you are being replaced at the moment with Bones!  Sexy body? Check. Sexy accent? Check. Humor? Check. First time in a while staying up late to read the sexy goodness called Bones? Check again.  


I loved this story by author Jeaniene Frost!  We have half vampire/half human Cat Crawfield determined to take down every vampire she hunts.  She is strong, determined and ruthless to the point of staking the vampire first and not waiting to ask any question later.  After her mother was raped by a vampire resulting in her birth, Cat is determined to get revenge on the undead vampires for her mother.  While trying to seduce sexy Bones in the hopes of catching him off guard to stake him in the chest, she finds herself captured by him and discovering that he is a Master Vampire with more strengths than she thought.  One of my favorite lines is what Bones is taunting her with when she wakes up after Bones has struck her down. 

“I thawt I thaw a putty tat.”
The mocking voice caused my pain to dissipate in a rush of terror.  When I saw the vampire close by, I shuddered.
“I did, I did thee a putty tat!”  PAGE 13

When they come to an agreement though, she finds herself being trained by Bones and learning more about him than she wants.  She learns he is stronger, smarter and even sexier than previous vampires she has met, but she also learns he is compassionate, protective and everything she wants in a relationship.  After struggling to come to terms with falling in love with a creature she hunts, she gives into the lust and falls head over heels for him.  Bones also feels the attraction and fights for Cat with such fierceness that Cat believes that vampires can love like humans.  


With action, suspense and romance all around, this is a great series to pick up and sink your teeth into!  The pace was written perfectly and I was amazed at how much I enjoyed the characters.  The secondary characters were wonderful as well.  I loved Rodney the ghoul and couldn’t even bring myself to hate Tate at this point.  I enjoyed each scene that had Bones in it because not only is he the hero, but you actually forget he is a vampire at times!  


The only problem I had with this book was the way it ended.  I understand that it is a series, but I actually wanted to throw my book across the room and I might have cursed a few times at Cat in the process. My book buddies had to hear me curse and complain at how stupid Cat was being, but they told me to hold on for great chapters to come.  I trusted them because they have never let me down and quickly bought the next book instead of giving up on it.  


Overall, a great paranormal romance with some urban fantasy feel to it that kept me up late with intrigue and excitement.  If Cat keeps up what she did at the end of this book, Bones is welcome to come stay with me though! 


FAVORITE QUOTES:

CAT: “No, I’m too tired to run, and you’re too fast.  You’d only catch me.”
BONES: “That’s right, luv.”  Softly, but with unyielding resonance.  “If you run from me, I’ll chase you.  And I’ll find you.”
–page 202

Bones rose from his kneeling position and swung his gaze to me.
“Lucifer’s bouncing balls, Kitten, not again!”
Uh-oh.
–page 222

BONES: “Fine. I promise I won’t kill him”
He said it too easily. My eyes narrowed.
CAT: “Promise me right here and now that you will also never cripple, maim, dismember, blind, torture, bleed, or otherwise inflict any injury on Danny Milton.  Or otherwise stand by while someone else does as you watch.”
BONES: “Blimey, that’s not fair!” he protested.
–page 253

 
MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

THE REAPING
The Fahllen, #1
Author: M. Leighton
Source: Author Submission

*I received this book free of charge 
in exchange for an honest review*

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 557 KB
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B004LGS772
Lending: Enabled
Published:  January 29th 2011

SUMMARY:

Every hell has its devil. And Carson is about to become intimately acquainted with hers.

Yeah, a girl’s supposed to change as she gets older, but this is ridiculous! Shiny skin, greener eyes and a run-in with the flesh-eating dead are just a few of the changes Carson has to adjust to, not to mention the arrival of very hot and very dangerous Derek Hrolf. If all that wasn’t enough to turn her once hum-drum life into something unrecognizable, a twin sister that haunts her from the shadows and a wheeling, dealing collector of souls will definitely do the trick. The question is: what will her life become? And what will she become?

MY THOUGHTS:

First of all, how haunting is that cover?? Amazing! To be honest with everyone, the cover caught my eye before I even read the summary! Then, I read the summary and was intrigued. It left me wondering what Carson is suppose to change into and what type of world the author is creating.


Living with an over protective Father, Carson has found her social life lacking and leaving her feeling like she isn’t up to par with others her age.  Her father doesn’t allow make-up, going anywhere besides school and home, and practically a recluse in the friends department.  I felt sorry for Carson on this point and felt bad that she didn’t have a Mother to talk to about this.  Then, everything starts to change and Carson finds herself in the center of the ring, so to speak.  Not only is she changing, but the people around her are changing as well and she finds herself wondering what it going on. 


Are you still wondering what type of book this is? Is it zombies, vampires, werewolves or aliens? Well rest assured, it is none of those things.  This is a book about Reapers, which is a great play on words with the title being called The Reaping.  When Carson meets Derek though, he is unable to answer many of the questions that she asks and they both need to figure them out together. While Carson was such a strong character of the book, Derek complimented her in a balanced way.  He held her up when she needed it, but she also quickly recovered and stayed strong and true to the personality that the author created for Carson. 


With chills and thrills with each turn of the page, The Reaping has brought an edge to the young adult genre by stepping out of the normal paranormal creatures of the night.  I enjoyed reading this book and taking the journey down the path of unknown with Carson.  With the perfect balance of dialogue and a creepiness to keep you gripping the pages, the author has brought a fresh new voice to read.  


MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

RECOVERY ROAD
Author: Blake Nelson
Source: Publisher
*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Press (March 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0545107296
ISBN-13: 978-0545107297

SUMMARY:

From acclaimed author Blake Nelson, the story of girl meets boy…in rehab. 

Madeline is sent away to Spring Meadows to help with a drinking and rage problem she has. It’s a pretty intense place, but there is the weekly movie night in town–where Madeline meets Stewart, who’s at another rehab place nearby. They fall for each other during a really crazy time in their lives. Madeline gets out and tries to get back on her feet, waiting for Stewart to join her. When he does, though, it’s not the ideal recovery world Madeline dreamed of. Both of them still have serious problems. And Stewart’s are only getting worse….

MY THOUGHTS:

I was a little hesitant in reading and reviewing this book for the simple fact that it touches on some heavy and serious subjects.  Rehab, drug abuse, and even a small scene of attempted rape are touchy subjects in the young adult genre.  As I started to read this book though, I found that the author has done a wonderful and remarkable job at telling the story, touching on these subjects and keeping the interest of the reader.

In this heartbreaking story we meet Madeline and Stewart.  Both are at the rehab center called Spring Meadow.  Both characters are struggling to get over their addiction to drugs and alcohol. While I have never been to rehab or been in a situation like this, the author did such an amazing job of telling each characters story that I felt like I was right there with them both.  You could actually feel the pain and the struggle that each one of the characters goes through on a daily basis.  The two of them grow close even if it is against the treatment centers rules.  When Madeline is released, they both promise to find each other when Stewart finishes his rehab.

The story is broken up into parts.  The first part is dealing with the rehab and trying to work through the addiction.  Then we have the part of Madeline going home and trying to adjust to life after rehab. She tries to fit back in at school and is hesitant on making friends.  Along the way, Madeline finds new friends and new things are discovered about herself.  When Stewart is released, nothing seems to work out as they planned, yet Madeline believes she is in love with him.  It is like she traded one addiction of drugs, for the drug of love.

The story really starts moving at a quicker pace at this point.  Each part of the book is the next chapter in her life.  We slowly see Madeline try to climb over the obstacle of being a recovering addict and trying to make something for herself.  She finishes high school and even gets accepted into college.  We see her struggle, relapse and eventually make it out of the hole of despair.  Stewart on the other hand is fighting his own personal demons.  While I kept hoping that he would find the way to his happy ending, you could tell that the author was going to put you through some rough patches with Stewart.  By the end of the book I was crying tears of joy for Madeline and tears of sadness for Stewart.  When the story ends it  leaves you with hope, sadness, joy and strength.

A well written book for teens on the subject of drug abuse and consequences that can arise of this life changing and sometimes deadly addiction.  The book does touch on touchy subjects of attempted rape, drinking, smoking and sex, but I feel the way the author portrayed it in the book it needed to be written to tell the story in a realistic way.  One book that I am glad to have read and wouldn’t mind re reading again.

MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

THE DAY BEFORE
Author: Lisa Schroeder
Source: Around The World Tours

Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Simon Pulse (June 28, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1442417439
ISBN-13: 978-1442417434

SUMMARY:

Sometimes there’s no turning back.

The more time that Amber spends with Cade, the more she’s drawn to him. And the more she’s troubled by his darkness. Because Cade’s not just living in the now–he’s living each moment like it’s his last.

MY THOUGHTS:

Oh, Lisa Schroeder. How much do I love thee?  I love the writing style of verse.  I love the characters you create because they are so real.  I love how you are not afraid to touch on subjects that touch the heart. Your books are what every teen and adult needs to read. 


Amber is a 16 and feels as though her whole world is crumbling down around her.  With the issue Amber is being forced to face, I would feel the same way. She desperately wants a day for just her and to feel anything but sadness.  When she escapes to the beach for the day, fate steps in and she meets Cade.  Cade is facing a scary issue as well the following day.  The two make a pact not to discuss why they are alone at the beach that day and to just feel happiness for the day.  They become fast friends within the first 12 hours and it slowly turns to teen love.


I loved this story.  I love how Cade and Amber both tried so hard to make the other feel alive and free.  Even though they both are facing something difficult the following day, they learn that fate may be cruel at times, but it also brings good as well.  


The only thing I didn’t like about this book was how soon it ended! I wanted more moments with Amber and Cade.  I found myself slowing my reading down towards the end because I wanted to savor each page and not think about how close I was getting to the end of such a beautifully written story. I enjoyed this story so much, I had it read within one hour.  I can’t wait for the release of this book so I can run out and buy myself a finished copy to read over and over again. 


MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading! 5 STARS

OVERPROTECTED
Author: Jennifer Laurens
Source: Around The World Tours

Paperback: 252 pages
Publisher: Grove Creek Publishing, LLC (April 29th 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 193396300X
ISBN-13: 978-1933963006

SUMMARY:

Ashlyn: A lonely society princess living in New York City.

Daddy was wrong.

MY THOUGHTS:

After eager anticipation, Jennifer Laurens has brought to us another fabulous book about teen angst, love and determination.  I am a HUGE fan of this author after reading her other books.  She never disappoints me in her writing and creativity.  


In Overprotected, we are introduced to the Adair family.  Ashlyn is 17 years old and rarely gets a taste of freedom.  If she wants to step outside her Security Box that her Father has constructed in the form of a personal bodyguard, she has to sneak away to do it.  The outside world is merely a glance outside her home windows.  When she gets her latest bodyguard fired, Ashlyn thinks that maybe her father will let her be an adult and have some freedom.  Unfortunately, her Father is not willing to give up his control.  He hires Colin.  Colin is an old childhood friend from when they all lived in California.  After Ashlyn was kidnapped in California, the family relocated to New York.  Colin is going to school in New York and is hired as a protective companion for Ashlyn.  At first, Ashlyn is not very friendly to Colin.  Colin used to torment her as a child and she can’t stand to even be around him.  They quickly work past their history, and eventually find that they truly care for each other. 


Some people might think Ashlyn is a bit of a snob in the book.  At first, I though she was just going to be another rich girl who is a spoiled brat.  After reading the first couple of chapters though,  I quickly realized that Ashlyn is not the snob I thought she was.  She has had such a protective and controlled life that she barely can even eat in privacy.  I can see where the frustration comes from and how freedom would be so sought after.  The only relationship with a boy she has ever had has been from reading her romance novels that her friends and previous bodyguards have sneaked in for her.  She is a great pianist and has a future at Julliard to look forward to, but all she craves is love and freedom.


Colin is very professional with his new job.  While he is attracted to Ashlyn and very caring towards her, he is constantly fighting the urge to be more than just a bodyguard to her.  Colin was sweet and protective, yet professional and calm.  I love how he is always put into the awkward moments with Ashlyn’s Mother and friends.  He is always relieved when Ashlyn rescues him from the attention. 


When Ashlyn’s ex-bodyguard keeps making sneaky reappearances in her life, she is naturally scared and suspicious.  When Ashlyn is kidnapped again, you can’t help but cheer her on at kicking some butt!  What floored me the most was the extremes her Father has gone to though when Ashlyn is rescued.  What he did was over the line and he deserved what Ashlyn does to him.  


Another wonderful read by an outstanding author.  Each book she writes just keeps on getting better.  Overprotected was wonderful and I can’t wait what to see what the author will bring to us next! 


MY RATING:

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf
For Rereading!  5 STARS